Charge Boys Charge!

Simple A.C.W Rules for Regimental level Games.

Introduction.
These rules are deliberately simple. I first wrote them to use with my 40mm
ACW collection which has roughly a Brigade a side- say 4 Regiments plus
Artillery and extras. There are no clever mechanisms here. They are
deliberately old fashioned employing either IGOUGO or simultaneous
movement underwritten orders – at the choice of the players. They lean very
heavily on the Old School style of Donald Featherstone and to an extent Peter
Young- pinching elements from both.
These rules can be used with most figure sizes but since casualty removal is
present perhaps they are perhaps not so convenient for sizes smaller than
20mm
Organisations are up to the players . My own 40mm forces are organised in
units of 24-48 fgires each- depending upon the strength of the original unit
No unit may be smaller than 5 models- my smallest infantry unit- a single
company of Berdan’s Sharpshooters is 6 figures strong.
Some knowledge of the American Civil War is desirable for those using these
rules. These are not designed for competitons but simply because I fancied
writing a simple set of ACW rules. I may do a simple Napoeonic set for my
40mm Napoleonics next. Enjoy!
Andy Copestake OGUK
Movement.
Infantry in Line 6 inches.
Infantry in Attack Column 8 inches.
Infantry in road march – on a road 8 inches
Infantry in Skirmish order. 10 inches.
Cavalry in line 9 inches
Cav. In column 12 inches
Mounted officers 15 inches.
Field Artillery.
Limbered. 9 inches.
Manhandled
1 inch per crew fig or infantryman – max of 4 inches but must have at least 2
crew excluding Officers.

Charge movement bonus

For all types except Skirmish order
Inf 1 d6
cav 2 D6 inches
Skirmishers have an “Evade bonus” of 1 D6 inches.
Troops in skirmish order must keep at least 3 inches away from formed enemy
troops.
Terrain and Formation changes
Troops move through woods at half speed.
Troops must be in Road march column(column not more than 2 figs wide) to
use a road.
Troops cross rivers at half speed,
Crossing a wall or fence takes half a turn.
Crossing a hedge takes a full turn.
Any formation change takes a full turn.
Entering or leaving a building takes a full turn except for Skirmishers who take
half a turn .
Mounted cavalry may not enter buildings.

Firing
Part 1 musketry.
Weapon Ranges.
Smoothbore carbine 9 inches
Smoothbore musket or rifled cavalry carbine 15inches.
Inferior Rifle 24 inches.
Superior rifle 30 inches.
Breech loading Rifle 30 inches
Troops may fire once per turn EXCEPT that troops with Breech loading rifles
or carbines may fire twice if they do not move.
Method
Troops in line may fire up to 2 ranks deep.
Roll 1 D6 for each group of 6 men excluding officer drummers etc.
At Long range ( from2/3 rds to max range for the firing weapon type deduct 3
from each dice
At medium range(1/3rd to 2/3rds max range ) deduct 2 from each dice
At Close range ( up to1/3rd max range) deduct 1 from each dice.
Veteran troops add 1
Green troops deduct 1
Troops firing for the first time in a game add 1
Troops firing at Skirmishers deduct 1
“Buck and Ball”
Smoothbore armed troops may use “Buck and Ball” at close range . Use of this
negates the close range deduction. Troops only have 3 rounds of Buck and Ball
per unit.
The result of the modified dice rolls is the number of “hits” achieved.
Artillery Fire
Guns have a maximum range of 6 feet, rifled artillery a range of 7 feet.
For each gun throw 1 range dice for a “hit”
0-1 foot –automatic hit throw effect dice..
1-2 feet throw 2 or greater.
2-3 feet throw 3 or greater
3-4 feet throw 4 or greater
4-5 feet throw 5 or greater
5-6 feet throw 6 or greater
6-7 feet throw 6 or greater- rifled guns only
At less than a foot range Rifled guns deduct 1 from effect dice.
At ranges of 4 feet or more they add 1 to range dice.

Effect of artillery fire.

Should a “hit” be achieved throw 1 dice per gun and crew.
At under 1 foot the result is the number of casualties caused.- No Saving
throws.
At 1-2 feet the result is the number of casualties caused- but reduced saving
throws.
At 2-3 feet result is the number of casualties caused- but normal saving throws
At 3 feet or more the result is halved before making Normal saving throws.
Saving throws from Fire.
Any “hits“caused by either small arms or artillery fire have a saving throw .
These are deemed either “Normal” or “Reduced”
A normal saving throw is a score of 5 or 6 and the hit soldier survives.
A reduced saving throw is a score of 6 and the hit soldier survives.
Officers always add 1 to their saving rolls
Troops behind walls add 1 to their saving rolls.
Troops in buildings add 1 but only for small arms hits
“Buck and Ball” hits save at the reduced rate.

Morale.
First shot at test- when first under fire. Taken if casualties are caused or not.
Throw 1 D6
Deduct 1 if Green troops or if Disordered.(cumulative)
Add 1 if in cover or advancing or if General with unit or if veterans.(note that a
unit cannot be in cover and advancing but otherwise cumulative).
Result.
5 or 6 unit carries on – successful test.
4 unit halts test again next turn. If Artillery may not fire if small arms wish to
fire do so with half the normal number of dice.
2-3 unit retires in good order 1 normal move test again next turn.
1 unit retires in disorder 2 D6 inches test again next turn but is disordered and
must take a turn to re-order.
0 or less unit routs in panic 1 normal move plus 2D6 inches is disordered. In
subsequent moves they will continue to retire until stopped by a General
figure joining the unit at which time they test again.
Other Morale.
Aside from the above morale is tested when any of the following occurs.
1/.A unit suffers more than 10% “hits” in a turn.
2/. A General officer with the unit is killed or wounded (i.e. is removed from
play).
3/.A unit wishes to “Charge” – i.e. close for hand to hand combat .
Test as for First shot at but use the following amendments to dice roll.
Add 1 if successful first shot at test, if advancing , if in cover, if General Officer
with unit if Veteran, if unit over 20 figure strong.(note that a unit cannot be in
cover and advancing but otherwise cumulative).
Add 2 if in fortifications.
Deduct 1 if charged, for each officer figure killed in a turn , for each 10%
casualties removed . General officer killed with unit (testing turn only) if
disordered. Failed first shot at test.(Green troops only) retired this move or
last.
Results
5 or 6 unit carries on – successful test.
4 unit Halts ,test again next turn. If Artillery may not fire if small arms wish to
fire do so with half the normal number of dice.
2-3 unit retires in good order 1 normal move test again next turn.
1 unit retires in disorder 2 D6 inches for Infantry of dismounted Cavalry 3d6
inches for Mounted Cavalry, test again next turn but is disordered and must
take a turn to re-order at the halt . Gunners abandon guns May continue to
test each turn while on the table .
0 or less unit routs 1 normal move plus 2D6 inches is disordered. In the
subsequent move they will retire but may test again to rally needing Halt or
better (4 or above). If they fail again they rout from the table.